New Delhi: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is staying put in Kyiv, he said in a video address Monday evening, giving viewers a glimpse of the Ukrainian capital’s night sky.
Zelensky emphatically said, “I stay here. I stay in Kyiv, on Bankova Street. I am not hiding. I am not afraid of anyone. We will win this patriotic war.”
Zelensky lauded his forces for holding ground at the face of Russia’s assault. “Everybody is where they should be… we are all at war… we will all contribute to our victory which will be achieved… by force of arms and our army, by force of words and diplomacy, by force of the spirit which all of us have,” he said.
On the 12th day of Russia’s offensive, the Ukrainian president said his people may not have weapons but they have courage and dignity. “I am here, it is mine, I won’t give it away, my city, my community, my Ukraine,” Zelensky said, who may be feeling isolated after the West did not respond to his appeals for declaring Ukraine airspace a no-fly zone.
A no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that military forces could directly engage with any Russian plane seen over the country.
The US and NATO have strongly opposed creating a no-fly zone because such a move could lead to “full-fledged war in Europe”.
Russia also warned last week that if the West declared Ukraine no-fly zone, it would be directly entering the conflict.
Zelensky – in an interview to ABC World News Tonight – cautioned the West that “the war will not stop at Ukraine”. “The more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more,” Zelensky said.
He reiterated the need to secure Ukraine’s airspace.
“We cannot allow Russia to be active there only, because they’re bombing us, they are shelling us, they are sending missiles, helicopters, jet fighters — a lot of things,” Zelensky said. “If a missile is flying overhead, there is no other answer… they need to be shot down. You have to preserve lives,” he told ABC News.
Zelensky believes US President Joe Biden can do more to stop the war. The White House, however, stands firm in its decision to keep US troops out of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, CNN reported.
Zelensky ended Monday’s address, saying his country would rebuild everything and “make it better than any city in Russia”.
The Times reported that three assassination attempts have been made on Zelensky. It said two outfits were out to kill the Ukrainian president – the Kremlin-backed mercenaries, Wagner Group, and Chechen special forces.
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